Who Owns This Land?



I find myself wholly in agreement with the bill regarding to distribute lands confiscated from the Federate to the former slaves because land was a crucial property that former slaves can built their fortunes on and be able to look after themselves, and I strongly encourage other senators to vote for this bill. For almost two centuries, slavery was one of the biggest issues that this country had faced. During those times, we carried on our shoulders the pretense of a false understanding about true freedom. We went on describing how much we cherish freedom and the cost that we paid to get it; and yet, we completely went unnoticed or even ignored about our brothers, the black men. To some degree, they were the backbone of our agriculture production, the ones who work the field to feed the nation; and yet, their lives were bounded to be subjugated by their overseers and owners.

The war had gotten rid of us the immorality, and cleared our conscience. By freeing the slaves, we literally free ourselves. But to stop there is like to left a slovenly work undone. We need to, according to our moral, provide black people means and opportunities to subsist. It is not only morally correct to do so, but it is also a way to solve the future problem concerning the former slaves after they are freed. Former slaves, for all their lives, are connected to the field and agriculture. We can free them from slavery, but we can not ensure their survivals. Without any skills other than working the field, most of former slaves surely would become helpless. Moreover, there is a high percentage that most of them would remain there in the South for that is where they were borne and raised. Having nowhere to go to, former slaves might have come back and work for his former owner under a much more hardship. If a slave is free but unable to find himself three meals a day, wouldn't it be more depressing than being slave with food provided from their owners? If that is the case, then it seems like we just add misery on top of misery upon these unfortunate people. Former slaves were conditioned to be dependent on their owners for food and protection. Most of them know nothing of how to make it on their own. Therefore, we need to teach them how to be independent and self-sufficient. By distribute land among these former slaves, we could ensure that they would have a starting point to built their future on and be able to feed themselves. On that portion of soil, former slaves can perform what they were taught to do, working the field and producing agricultural supply.

For two centuries, the former slaves and their ancestors had spill sweat and blood on the plantations. All the profits they made went to the avaricious hands of their owners, while there was no return for the hard labor that the slaves put up. Therefore, it is reasonable that the former slaves already paid for the land that they are about to get.